Rocket apparatus.



H. H. GODDARD.

ROCKET APPARATUS. AFPLICATI ON FILED JUNE 28. I916.

Patented Dec- 5, 1916.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET! R. H. GODDARD.

ROCKET APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1916.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

R. H. GODDARD. ROCKET APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

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Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. ROBERT H. GODDARD, OF WORCESTER MASSACHUS E' E'FSL ROCKET APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June as, 1916. Serial 1%. 106,597. 4

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. GoonA'Rn, a citizen of the Unitedstates, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester-and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Rocket Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rocket apparatus and particularly toa rocket apparatus of the magazine type. Different forms of such apparatus are shown in my prior Patents No. 1,103,503 issued July 14, 1914, No. 1,191,299 issued July 18, 1916, and'No. 1,194,496 issued August 15, 1916.;

It is the general object of my present in ventionto improve the construction of the devices therein shown to the end that the apparatus may be rendered more efiicient and reliable in operation. With this generalduring the return of the holder to its normal position. I further provide a new and 1111- proved container for the supply of cartridges and I disclose herein novel devices for holding said cartridges in spaced relation, therein, and for releasing them as they successively approach the transfer position.

Another feature of my invention relates to the suitable disposal of the material form'- ing the cartridge container after the cartridges are released therefrom.

My invention further relates to certain arv rangements and combinations of parts which 'will be hereinafter described and more particularly polnted out in the appended claims.

A preferred formof my invention is shown in the drawings in which- Figure 1 1s a sectional elevation of my improved rocket apparatus; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken in the plane perpendicular to the plane of Fig. .1, and looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in said figure; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional plan view, taken along the line 33 in Figs. 1

and 2; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1; Fig; 5 is an enlarged detailview of the cartridge holder; Fig. 6

Patented Dec. 5,1216. I

is a front elevation, partly in section, of the magazine tube; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a device for feeding thecartridge container; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of certain of the. parts shown in Fig. 7 Figs. 9 and 10 are detail transverse. sections taken along the lines 9-9 and 10-10'i n Fig. 1, respec tively; Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the strip feeding device; Fig. 12 is an enlargedsectional view-of a portion of the cartridge container; Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view of the container; Fig. 14 is a detail elevation showing the knives for separating the two portions of the container; Fig. 15 is a. detail, transverse section taken on the line 15-15 of. Fig. 2, and showing certain firing mechanism, and Fig. 16 is a partial sectional elevation corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a different position.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, my improved rocket apparatus comprises a casing 20 within which a breech block 21 is rigidly secured, the block being attached to the'ca'sing by means of outwardly projecting arms 22 (Fig. 3). breech block may be provided with a depending annular projection 23 (Figs. 1 and 2) which extends into "a recess in the combustion chamber 24. This chamber is substantially similar to that shown and described in" my prior Patent No; 1,194,496, and comprises a depending tapering ex- On its underside the pansion nozzle 25 and an upward extension 1 26 (Figs. 1 and 3) which forms a guiding support for the chamber and is slidable in ways 27 formed in the breech block 21. The chamber is normally held in its upper position by a spring 28 connected at its lowerend to the chamber 24, and at its upper end 7 to a cross rod 29 fixed in the casing 20.

The combustion chamber 24 is designed to receive a cartridge 30 fitting therein, and any suitable arrangement for firlng the cartridge may be provided. I have herein shown a wire 31 (Fig. 1) extending downward through a tapered insulating member '32 fixed in the breech block, said wire'at its lower end making suitable electrical connection with firing devices contained in the cartridge. For a full description of this form of firingmechanism, reference is made to my prior Patent No. 1,194,496. Upon the explosion of the cartridge 30 the combustion chamber 24 moves downward to the dotted 'line position indicated in Figs. 1 and 5. The

lower limit of travel is fixed by a stop 33 on the extension 26 which engages the upper surface of the breech block 21. As the chamber 24 approaches its lowermost position, the tapered portion 24 engages a plate 34 supported by a spring 35 secured to the lowervend of the casing 20. The plate 34 may be provided with plungers 3636 connected with the pistons of suitable dash pots of any usual construction.

Thdspring 35 acting through the plate .34

resists the downward pressure of thevcombustion chamber, and brings it substantially to rest before the stop 33 engages the breech I block, while at the same time the dash pot arrangement prevents a violent rebound of the combustion chamber.

Assuming that the cartridge has been exploded and that the chamber 24 has moved v,to its lowermost position, I will now describe the mechanism for placing a fresh cartridge in the combustion chamber. Thiscartridge 30" is shownin full lines in the position which it occupies during the explosion of the cartridge 30. The cartridge 30 is held v in a cartridge-supporting device best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and comprising a cartridge holder 40 having a portion extending beneath the cartridge and also having portions engaging the cartridge upon three sides thereof. A spring 41 snaps inward over the upper end of the cartridge when it is p0 sitioned in the holder, and prevents displacement of the cartridge during its movement to loading position;

The holder 40is mounted upon two pairs of L-shaped links 42, 43, 44 and 45. These links are pivotally connected to brackets 46 and 47 fixed to the casing 20. The link 42 has an extension 42 at its lower end, this extension having a portion 42 extending sidewise therefrom in position to be engaged by the tapered portion 24 of'the combustion chamber, as the chamber approaches its I lowermost position. When thus engagedthe cartridge holder is moved from the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 5 to the dotted line position therein. A spring 48 normally maintains the holder in the full line position. The support 40 as it moves to loading position is maintained parallel to the axis of the casing 20 by the links 42, 43, 44 andw45. The cartridge 30 is thus-moved positively to a definite and exact loading position.

As. the vcombustion chamber ,returns to normal position, the cartridge holder also returns to its original position, and devices are necessarily provided for preventing the return of the cartrid e with the holder thus removing the cartri e from loading position. These devices are bestshown in Figs.

2, 3 and 16, and comprise a pair of arms 50 pivoted at 51 to brackets 52 mounted on the combustion chamber 24 and secured thereto by screws 53. When the chamber is infiring position the arms 50 are spread apart by the breech block 21. As the chamber descends to the position shown in Fig. 16, the arms clear the breech block and are forced inwardly by compression springs 54 to the position shown in Fig. 16. With the arms in this position, the cartridge 30 is moved to loading position. The arms are provided with ears or projections 50* which engage the cartridge 30 as it approaches loading position, the arms 50 being forced apart thereby. The cartridge moves inward until it engages the grooved side of the extension 26 of the chamber 24, and as the holder is withdrawn the cartridge is retained in this position by the arms 50. As the holder is being withdrawn the combustion chamber is moving upward and the fresh cartridge is immediately seated therein, the upper endof the cartridge entering the annular projection 23 of the breech block 21.

A flat'sp-ring catch 55 (Fig. 1) is secured to the casing 20 above the holder 40, and is normally pushed back into a recess in the casing by engagement with the upper end of the spring 41. As soon, however, as the cartridge holder begins to move, the catch 55 is released and springs out under the carwhich is withdrawn therefrom through a magazine tube 62 (Fig. 6). In the preferred form the container 60 is formed of two strips 63-63 (Fig. 13) of flexible material having their edges secured to narrow strips 64 of leather or other similar material. These strips 64 may be reinforced by wire stitching 65 if so desired, and the two portions of the container are assembled by stitching the strips 64 together in pairs to form ribs, the

stitches being indicated by the numeral 66 (Fig. 12). I

The strips 64 are inwardly creased at in: tervals, thereby spacing the successive cartridges 30 and 30 (Fig. 12) and also providing for the necessary expansion on one side or the other in rounding sharp curves as the cartridges are drawn from the chamber 61. For more accurately spacing the cartridges, studs 67 (Figs. 12 and 13) may be placed in the container in spaced relation and corresponding indentations maybe made in the cylindrical outer wall of the cartridges. These cartridges are preferably formed as described in my prior Patent No.

1,191,299 with a combustible casing so that the entire cartridge is consumed and there is nothing left to be ejected from the combus providing spaces between them to accommo-' date the outwardly projecting strips or ribs 64 as the cartridge container is drawn downward by mechanism to be described. As the cartridges approach the lower end of the tube 62 the container engages knives 70-70 (Fig. 14) mounted in fixed position in the casing, and having their rounded ends-extending between the strips 64 in position to sever the stitches 66. The container is thus separated into two portions or strips 60 and 60 (Fig. 6) and the cartridge is thus released from the tubular container. i

A cylindrical sleeve 71 (Fig.6) forms an extension of the magazine tube and is secured thereto by a rod 72. The sleeve and the tube are spaced apart sufliciently to per- 'moves upwardly with-the extension .26 and mit the portions and 60 of the severed container to pass between them, and the opening in the sleeve is flared outwardly at its upper end to guide the cartridges therein. The sleeve ,71 retains the cartridge 30 in position until the cartridge holder 40 is emptied and returns to normal position, when the cartridge 30 is released and passes into the holder 40. 'As the cartridges in their container pass out of the chamber, 61 they engage grooved guides 73 and 74 (Fig. 1) by which they are directed into the upper end of the magazine tube.

Suitable mechanism is provided for intermittently advancing the cartridges along the magazine tube 62. These devices are best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and comprise an arm 75 extending laterally from the upper end of the extension 26- of the combustion chamber 24. At its outer end anofiset bracket 76 is secured to the arm, and a-grippingpawl 77 is pivoted to'said bracket at 78. coiled spring 79 normally forces the pawl in the di-' the chamber 24, the'pawl slips freely past the strips 64, but upon the next descending movement of'the arm- 7 5,-the pawl grips the strips 64 and carries the tubular container downwardthe necessary distanceto advance another cartridge to' the position indicated by 30". This distance is determined by a plate 62 (Fig. 6) which engages and releasesv the pawl 77. Inorder to prevent too i sud-den downward movement of the con .65

tainer,-;the arm 75 may be yieldingly secured to the upper end of the extension 26, as shown in Fig. 7, the arm rising slightly against the pressure of the spring 80 as the downward of. A small plate 82 (Fig.1) secured beneath the chamber 61 assists in guiding the strips 64 between the pawl 77 and the exten- ,sion 75 of the arm 75.

In its upper portion thetube' 62 is surrounded by a substantially rectangular cas-' ing 83 (Fig. 9), said tube and easing being spaced apart to provide passages 84--84 for the severed strips 60 and 60 The casing 83 also supports narrow strips 8585 of card clothing or similar material having points inclined downward, and engaging the strips 64. The tubular container is thus free to move downward, but backward movement thereof is prevented. The severed portions of they tubular container pass upward and out of the upper end of the casing 83 into a storage space which may comprise separate compartments 86 and 87 formed in the upper portion of the casing 20..

1 will now describe the mechanism for feeding the severed portions or strips of the container into the compartments 86 and 87. The upper portion of the casing 83 (Fig.

10) islined uponits opposite sides with strips 90 of card clothing, with the points inclined upwardly. inwardly projecting lugs 91--91 and 9292 form guides for a pair of thin metal plates 93 and 94 (Fig; 11) joined together by a curved connecting member 95, and having their outerfaces covprojects above the extension 7 5 of the arm (Fig. 6) con- 75 (Fig. 7). A spring 99 nected at one end to the part 98 and at the other end to a pin on the magazine tube 62 normally draws the plates 93 and 94 downwardly whenever the combustion chamber 241'and the'arm 75 descend, the downward movement-of the plates being limitedby a stop pin 100 (Fig. 6). During this down; ward movement the points of the card clothing slide freely past the severed portions of the container which are prevented from downward movement by the strips of card clothing 90. The stop pin 100 limits the downward movement to the exact distance from center to center of successive cartridges in the container 60. Upon the 7 return movement of the combustion chamber the extension'75 of thearm'75'engages the portion 98 of the rod 96 and carries the plates 93 and 94 upwardly, thereby feeding otherwise limited to the details of construc- 65 the severed strips into the chambers 86 and 87. 'As successive cartridges are fired the storage chamber 61 is gradually emptiedand the compartments 86 and 87 are gradually filled.

in order to utilize the storage space in the casing 20 to the fullest extent I separate the chamber 61 from the compartments 86 and 87 by flexible partitions 101-102 (Fig. 2), said partitions having elastic bands 103 em- .bodied therein, which tend to move the partitions to the dotted line position in Fig. 2,

as the cartridges are removed from the chamber 61. In this way the capacity of the compartments 86 and 87 is increased as the chamber 61 is gradually emptied of' cartridges. After the supply of cartridges in the apparatus has been substantially exhausted and the rocket has substantially completed its flight, provision is made for operating any apparatus or discharging any explosives carried by the rocket. This mechanism is best shown in Fig. 15, and comprises a loose plate 104 forming a por: tion of one side Wall of the magazine tube 62. The plate 104 is secured to a rod 105 slidable in a fixed bearing 106, and the plate is forced into the tube by a spring 107 whenever the supply of cartridges at that point becomes exhausted. When the plate thus moves in, the hook-shaped outer end of the rod 105 discharges a percussion cap 108 and ignites a fuse 109 which is connected with the mechanism or explosives carried in the rocket. An opening 110 in the casing 20 permits insertion of a hook to withdraw the plate 104 when the apparatus is being loaded.

The cartridge container 60, when it is inserted in the apparatus, is provided with a sufiicient length of severed strips 60 and 60 at its lower end so that they may bethreaded up through the casing 83 and pass the-feeding plates 93 and 94. The first cartridge may be inserted. within the combustion chamber by drawing the chamber downwardly by hand to actuate the cartridge holder 40.

Having thus fully described the construction of my improved rocket apparatus, it is thought that the operation thereof will be 1 clearly understood. I have shown it embodied in'an apparatus in which the combustion chamber only is movable but many features of my invention are also applicable to constructions in which the breech block moves or in which both breech block and chamber move. I

It will be evident that change-4 and modifications can be made in my invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to h tion herein described, but

What I do claim is y 1. .A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a fixed breech block, a combustion chamber movably mounted in said casing, a cartridge supporting device actuated by downward movement of said chamber to present a cartridge in definite and exact loading position while the chamber and breech block are separated, and

means independent of said moving member effective to hold said cartridge in loading position during the return movement of said chamber.

2. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a fixed breech block, a comloading position as the supporting device is withdrawn.

3. A rocket'apparatus having, in combi nation, a casing, a breech block fixed in said casing, a combustion chamber mounted for movement in said casing, and a'cartridgereplenishing mechanism comprising a supporting device mounted on said casing and having a portion positioned for engagementv by said chamber as it descends, by which engagement the cartridge is moved to exact loading position.

4. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a breech block fixed in said casing, a combustion chamber mounted for movement in said casing, a cartridge-replenishing mechanism comprising a sup porting device mounted on said casing and having a portion positioned for engagement by said chamber as it descends, by which engagement the cartridge is moved to loading position, and retaining devices yieldingly movable into positionv to hold said cartridge I in loading position as the chamber I'e-appreaches the breech block.

5. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a breech block fixed in said casing, a combustion chamber mounted for movement in said casing, a cartridge-replenishing mechanism comprlsin'g a supporting device mounted on said casing and having a portion positioned for engagement by said chamber as it descends, by which engagement the cartridge is moved to loading position, and retaining devices normally rendered inoperative by said breech block and yieldingly movable, as the chamber descends, into position to engage said cari said cartridges as they successively approach.

cartridge-replenishing mechanism comprising a cartridge holder and parallel links for maintaining said holder in position parallel to-the axis of the casing during its movement from receiving to loading position. 7

k 7. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a breech block fixed in said casing, a combustion chamber mounted for movement 1n said cas1ng,'a cartridge holder,

and parallel links for supporting said holder within said casing, said holder being movable to a parallel loading position by the action of the descending combustion chamber.

8. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible container for said cartridges and means to feed said container and cartridges intermittently, and means to free said cartridges from said container as they app-roach transfer position. v p

9. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding" cartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible tubular container fora pluralityof cartridges arranged in axial series and means to advance said container and cartridges intermittently, and means to release transfer position.

10. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible tubular container formed in two parts and adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges in axial series and means to advance said container and cartridges intermittently, and means to separate the two parts of said container to release the cartridges successively as they approach transfer position. I

11 A rocket apparatus havlng, 1n combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber. comprising a flexible tubular container formed in two parts and'adapted to hold a pluralityqof cartridges in axial series and means to advance said container and cartrid es intermittently,,and a pair. of knives xed in said casing effective to separate the parts of said container to release said cartridges successively as they approach transfer position.

12. A rocket apparatus having, in combitubular container formed of two pieces of.

flexible material having reinforced edges stitched to each other and a feeding device efiective to intermittently engage and grip one of the reinforced portions to advance said container, and means to sever said stitches torelease said cartridges succes-. sively.

13. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a. casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprising a con tainer formed of two pieces of flexible ma terial having strips of reinforced leather secured to each edge thereof, said strips being stitched together in pairs to form a tubular container and a device eflective to grip one pair of saidleather strips to intermittently advance said container, and means to sepacartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible tubular container for said cartridges mounted in said casing, means forsfeeding and means to intermittently advance said container and cartridges, means toseparate said contalner into two strips, a storage space in said casing, and means to advance said strips to said storage space.

15. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible tubular container. for said cartridges and means to intermittently advance said container and cartridges, means to separate said container into two strips, thereby successively releasing the cartridges, separate storage chambers for each of said strips, and {)neans to advance said strips to said chamers.

16. A rocket apparatus having, in .combination, a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in said casing, means for feedingcartridgest to said chamber comprising aflexible tubular container for said'cartridges and means to intermittently advance said container and cartrldges, means to separate said container into two strips, a storage 7' chamber for said tubular container and cartridges, a storage space for said strips and flexible walls separating'said storage cham:

ber from said storage space.

17. A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a casing, a combustion chamber, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprisin for said ,cartrldges andmeans to intermita flexible tubular container tently advance said container andcartridges,

means to separate said container into two strips, a storage chamber in said casing" for said tubular container and cartridges, and separate storage chambers for each of said strips each of said latter chambers having 'a flexible Wall separating it from said first mentioned chamber, whereby the relative size of the latter'chambers may be increased as the cartridges are consumed.

18."In a rocket apparatus, a combustion chamber and means for feeding cartridges to said chamber, said means comprising a flexible tubular container for a plurality of cartridges arranged in axial series, and

means to maintain said cartridges in definite spaced relation in said container.

19. In a rocket apparatus, a combustion chamber, means for feeding cartridges to said chamber comprising a flexible tubular container for a plurality of cartridges arranged in axial series and means to advance said container and cartridges lntermlttently,

means comprising a flexible tubular container for said cartridges having ribs'on opposlte sldes thereon, sa1dr1bs being inwardly creased between successive cartridges to provide for. expansion in traversing sharply curved passages and also mamtammg sald cartridges in definitespaced relation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ROBERT H. GODDARD. 

